September 2, 2013 at 09:24The history of personal computers in advertising. Part 1: 1970s
Hello, Habr!
After publishing posts with an ancient advertisement for laptop computers and cell phones and smartphones, I decided to switch to personal computers. When the number of images went over 120, I realized that it would be better to write a series of posts.
The first part is dedicated to advertising personal computers of the 1970s. Of course, I had to go a little beyond this period, including something from the early in the industry, as well as a couple of commercials from the 1980s. If you have something to add to the collection, please write about it in the comments or in private messages.
Happy viewing!
Please do not be too strict on the design of the post: some of the images I could not find in the best quality, because they are smaller than most.
Continued, see here:
The history of personal computers in advertising. Part 2: 1980s
The history of personal computers in advertising. Part 3: 1990s
The Donner 3500 computer is one of the earliest representatives of the history of the development of computer technology , and was intended for scientists and engineers. It was portable - there were two leather handles - and weighed about 14 kg. Then computers for most were something mysterious. It began to be sold in the late 1950s, and it does not look much like modern PCs. Without this advertisement, the collection would be incomplete.
In 1969, Honeywell launched the 316 kitchen computer. “If only she could cook as well as Honeywell can calculate.” The processor module worked with a frequency of 2.5 MHz, the basic equipment was equipped with four kilobytes of ferromagnetic RAM. Housewives could program using the control panel - you could schedule a dinner, for example. Instead of the display was a line of light bulbs.
And most importantly - a cutting board was part of the computer!
Three years later, "great-grandfather ... grandfather" was born Sony Playstation and X-Box - the first Magnavox Odyssey game console.
It is believed that the beginning of all amateur computers was laid by the Altair 8800 of MITS, developed in 1975 on the basis of the Intel 8080 microprocessor.
In September 1975, IBM released the 5100 portable personal computer.
A year later, in 1976, the KIM-1 microcomputer system, the Keyboard Input Monitor, appeared. This single-board microcomputer was manufactured by MOS Technology. It was cheaper than the Atari 8800, so it sold out pretty well.
Apple 1 in the garage Jobs with Wozniak began to be released in June 1976 - and until March 1977 continued to do so.
At Christmas 1977, sales of the Atari 2600 gaming computer started .
In 1977, Apple's first serial computer appeared. In total, from 5 to 6 million copies of the Apple II were produced. This model had an integrated keyboard, color graphics, sound, a plastic case and eight expansion slots. It was a car "for the masses", and not just for lovers.
This is probably the first Apple II TV commercial. 1977 year.
In this video - Apple II for school education.
Already in 1977, everyone loved cats! This advertisement tells how one owner of Apple II burned out a computer with a monitor because of a cat, but when he brought the burned computer to the store, it turned out that you just need to change the case, the filling itself did not suffer at all.
Another exhibit of the same year is the Sol-20 from Processor Technology.
Equinox 100 was sold in the same year. It is extremely unsuccessful.
IBM 5100, 1977 Advertising.
Station II for Apple II.
The IBM 5110, the successor to the IBM 5100, was launched in 1978.
In July 1978, the 16-bit microcomputer SS-16 based on the TMS 9900 processor was introduced.
In November 1979, mass sales of Atari 400/800 home personal computers began. It was a whole line of computers, produced until 1985 in various versions. Moreover, the latest Atari models from the XE series were produced in 1992. 1979 ATARI 800 ad.
Atari 400 and 800 ads.
This 1981 video demonstrates Atari apps for Countries and Capitals and Basketball. You can appreciate the graphics of the game.
In the same year, advertisements were talked about the opportunity to work at home. And relax - with the game "Space Invaders".
"Bring the paint to work on the computer." The Intercolor 3621 boasted a color display. Sales began in September 1979.
At the end of 1977, Tandy sold desktop computers from the TRS-80 series through the Radio Shack chain of stores. TRS-80 was the first home computer, the price for which did not exceed $ 600. Moreover, the store did not have confidence in the success of the computer - and the first batch was only 3,000 pieces, so that if they could not be sold, it would be used for the needs of bookkeeping in a chain of stores. However, they sold 10,000 copies in a month, and 55,000 in a year.
This is an advertisement for the TRS-80 Model II.
The fourth model is with two flops.
This is already the 16th model - with a 16-bit processor.
Even Isaac Asimov participated in the TRS-80 advertising campaign!
They had a lot of advertising ... The
competitor of the TRS-80 in 1977, apart from the Apple II, was Commodore PET. Included in it were a keyboard, monitor, and tape drive.
In 1978, Sinclair began selling the Mk14. Price - only 39.95 £.
In 1979, the Challenger 4P appeared. It was sold in two versions: the base one for $ 698 with an audio deck and the C4P MF for $ 1,695 with a flop, clock, interfaces for a home security system, modem and printer.
To be continued ...
This is interesting:
The history of personal computers in advertising. Part 2: 1980s
The history of personal computers in advertising. Part 3: The 1990s
Advertising laptop computers in the 1980s and 1990s
Old ads for cell phones and smartphones (from the 1980s to the end of the 2000s)
Apple device prototypes 30 years ago
Old, but still working 286
After publishing posts with an ancient advertisement for laptop computers and cell phones and smartphones, I decided to switch to personal computers. When the number of images went over 120, I realized that it would be better to write a series of posts.
The first part is dedicated to advertising personal computers of the 1970s. Of course, I had to go a little beyond this period, including something from the early in the industry, as well as a couple of commercials from the 1980s. If you have something to add to the collection, please write about it in the comments or in private messages.
Happy viewing!
Please do not be too strict on the design of the post: some of the images I could not find in the best quality, because they are smaller than most.
Continued, see here:
The history of personal computers in advertising. Part 2: 1980s
The history of personal computers in advertising. Part 3: 1990s
The Donner 3500 computer is one of the earliest representatives of the history of the development of computer technology , and was intended for scientists and engineers. It was portable - there were two leather handles - and weighed about 14 kg. Then computers for most were something mysterious. It began to be sold in the late 1950s, and it does not look much like modern PCs. Without this advertisement, the collection would be incomplete.
In 1969, Honeywell launched the 316 kitchen computer. “If only she could cook as well as Honeywell can calculate.” The processor module worked with a frequency of 2.5 MHz, the basic equipment was equipped with four kilobytes of ferromagnetic RAM. Housewives could program using the control panel - you could schedule a dinner, for example. Instead of the display was a line of light bulbs.
And most importantly - a cutting board was part of the computer!
Three years later, "great-grandfather ... grandfather" was born Sony Playstation and X-Box - the first Magnavox Odyssey game console.
It is believed that the beginning of all amateur computers was laid by the Altair 8800 of MITS, developed in 1975 on the basis of the Intel 8080 microprocessor.
In September 1975, IBM released the 5100 portable personal computer.
A year later, in 1976, the KIM-1 microcomputer system, the Keyboard Input Monitor, appeared. This single-board microcomputer was manufactured by MOS Technology. It was cheaper than the Atari 8800, so it sold out pretty well.
Apple 1 in the garage Jobs with Wozniak began to be released in June 1976 - and until March 1977 continued to do so.
At Christmas 1977, sales of the Atari 2600 gaming computer started .
In 1977, Apple's first serial computer appeared. In total, from 5 to 6 million copies of the Apple II were produced. This model had an integrated keyboard, color graphics, sound, a plastic case and eight expansion slots. It was a car "for the masses", and not just for lovers.
This is probably the first Apple II TV commercial. 1977 year.
In this video - Apple II for school education.
Already in 1977, everyone loved cats! This advertisement tells how one owner of Apple II burned out a computer with a monitor because of a cat, but when he brought the burned computer to the store, it turned out that you just need to change the case, the filling itself did not suffer at all.
Another exhibit of the same year is the Sol-20 from Processor Technology.
Equinox 100 was sold in the same year. It is extremely unsuccessful.
IBM 5100, 1977 Advertising.
Station II for Apple II.
The IBM 5110, the successor to the IBM 5100, was launched in 1978.
In July 1978, the 16-bit microcomputer SS-16 based on the TMS 9900 processor was introduced.
In November 1979, mass sales of Atari 400/800 home personal computers began. It was a whole line of computers, produced until 1985 in various versions. Moreover, the latest Atari models from the XE series were produced in 1992. 1979 ATARI 800 ad.
Atari 400 and 800 ads.
This 1981 video demonstrates Atari apps for Countries and Capitals and Basketball. You can appreciate the graphics of the game.
In the same year, advertisements were talked about the opportunity to work at home. And relax - with the game "Space Invaders".
"Bring the paint to work on the computer." The Intercolor 3621 boasted a color display. Sales began in September 1979.
At the end of 1977, Tandy sold desktop computers from the TRS-80 series through the Radio Shack chain of stores. TRS-80 was the first home computer, the price for which did not exceed $ 600. Moreover, the store did not have confidence in the success of the computer - and the first batch was only 3,000 pieces, so that if they could not be sold, it would be used for the needs of bookkeeping in a chain of stores. However, they sold 10,000 copies in a month, and 55,000 in a year.
This is an advertisement for the TRS-80 Model II.
The fourth model is with two flops.
This is already the 16th model - with a 16-bit processor.
Even Isaac Asimov participated in the TRS-80 advertising campaign!
They had a lot of advertising ... The
competitor of the TRS-80 in 1977, apart from the Apple II, was Commodore PET. Included in it were a keyboard, monitor, and tape drive.
In 1978, Sinclair began selling the Mk14. Price - only 39.95 £.
In 1979, the Challenger 4P appeared. It was sold in two versions: the base one for $ 698 with an audio deck and the C4P MF for $ 1,695 with a flop, clock, interfaces for a home security system, modem and printer.
To be continued ...
This is interesting:
The history of personal computers in advertising. Part 2: 1980s
The history of personal computers in advertising. Part 3: The 1990s
Advertising laptop computers in the 1980s and 1990s
Old ads for cell phones and smartphones (from the 1980s to the end of the 2000s)
Apple device prototypes 30 years ago
Old, but still working 286